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  1. #21
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    A hostel like Woods Hole is a home and a business and a wonderful one at that. It is not a trail shelter. Stop thinking that the two dollars in profit you provide entitles you to a red carpet roll out.

    Try this: go to a local store. Buy a couple of items where they make a dollar or two in profit. Then, hang out for a couple of hours. Make sure to bring your dirty, stinking, sweaty clothes and hang it all over the outside of the store and grounds. Take your boots off. Air out your feet. During your hours long stay, be sure to ask to fill up your water, use the bathroom, and a traffic report of the road up ahead.

    Time how long it takes for the cops to arrive to move you along
    Springer to Katahdin: 1991-2018

  2. #22

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    Agree, Marcovee. Remember that it's their home, and it's a working farm. Neville and Michael have set boundaries because everyone needs some privacy, and not all hikers are considerate guests.

    I spent three restful days at Woods Hole a couple of years ago during a long rainy stretch. Anyone who would object helping with the meal cleanup probably has never hosted Thanksgiving, and at WH it's two big meals a day.

  3. #23

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    Its great that others had a wonderful time at Woods Hole.

    I do object to preparing the table, preparing the food, clearing the table and washing up for both Dinner and Breakfast after hiking all day. The provision of food was not a random act of kindness - Dinner was $13. This in my opinion was not cheap. If you disagree with my observations - go to your nearest family owned restaurant: prepare your own table, prepare your own food, deliver your own food, clear your own table and wash your own plates, then pay for it! Why would being in the middle of the woods be any different? Woods Hole is a business the same as any other on the AT.

  4. #24
    Registered User johnnybgood's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gambit McCrae View Post
    I appreciate this post.

    I heard in SNP this weekend while hiking, that Mr Mike is not so happy about running a hostel anymore, and wants to just run his farm. This is hear say so take it with a grain, but all the same.
    He's been trying to find a buyer for a couple years now. Runnin' a hostel for profit these days is hard work and I'm sure there's only so much bull**** one person can take.
    Getting lost is a way to find yourself.

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by tiptoe View Post
    Agree, Marcovee. Remember that it's their home, and it's a working farm. Neville and Michael have set boundaries because everyone needs some privacy, and not all hikers are considerate guests.

    I spent three restful days at Woods Hole a couple of years ago during a long rainy stretch. Anyone who would object helping with the meal cleanup probably has never hosted Thanksgiving, and at WH it's two big meals a day.
    Last time I met Tillie we had about 10-12 visitors for B-fast. EVERYONE helped out getting the meal to the table with NOT ONE disgruntled attitude. No impatience or frowns. No high and mighty well I'm paying to be served attitudes. There was no imposing especially among the strong willed often high minded thru-hikers. B-fast was awesome…fresh picked local buckwheat blueberry pancakes and assorted fresh fruit with local eggs and local syrup. Neville made some delicious muffins with asst fruit. Some had eggs and sausage. Tillie and Neville even accommodated my vegetarian diet with no disagreeable or disparaging remarks. We all made time for each other at the table patiently hearing where each of us came from and what we were each doing. I still recall the names of the people at the table. We all broke bread as part of something greater than ourselves. We all cleaned up. Everyone offered. No one had to be demanded or ordered to help. And, we all felt grateful and humbled by BEING ABLE to have the experience taking the focus off ourselves contributing to others. Surely, hiking can be a vehicle that let's us not only go into ourselves but also allows us vast largely untapped opportunities to consider something larger than ourselves?

    As I sat at the b-fast table I saw two pics one on each side of the fireplace. One was a old photograph of one of the last remaining Eastern Elk. Can you imagine the Appalachians with herds of elk roaming through the woods..through largely virgin timber forests with monstrous chestnuts and poplar, towering cedar, hemlock, and spruce? Woods Hole began as a small private cabin/barn where Tillie and her late husband lived part time and studied to save the Eastern Elk. Tillie's husband served in the Carter Administration as an Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior hence their interest in saving the decimated remnants of Eastern Elk. Tillie was a Botanist. She even so politely corrected this Horticulturalist when I got the latin names of a few plants incorrect when we strolled the property after b-fast relating it's history. She was sharp even well into her 80's. A life fully lived. On the right was a picture of Tillie's husband taken the day before he passed. How poetic and historical!

    All this occurred in the old cabin which is the main home which was added onto to make it slightly larger. At the table Tillie gave us a run down of the floor plan and the cabins history. The cabin was moved there already being some 120+ yrs old before it was disassembled and reassembled and restored where it stands now. As Neville and Tillie talked and answered our questions we all sat on the edges of our seats enthralled with what we were able to behold.

    Tillie told us Woods Hole Hostel started because the occasional wayward hiker, hunter, mushroom gatherer, bird watcher, etc would wander to the farm to get unlost, out of the rain, snow etc and Tillie and her husband would give them what they could offering a safe place of momentary refuge. This is how many hostels and trail angels begin…seeing someone in need and assisting. It's a graciousness and kindness displayed. Most hostel owners like the Mom & Pop AT and PCT Hostels, like Woods Hole, Greasy Creek, Bob Peoples at Kincora, Mary the Trail Angel, Miss Janet, 12 Tribes, Saufley's Hiker Heaven, Joe and Terrie Anderson's Casa de luna, Pooh's Corner, The Dinsmores, etc are really just people helping out people rather than truly substantial income generating venues. Might want to keep this in mind when having the opportunity to experience the graciousness and kindness of people and places like these.

    Very much so…hiking is about so much more than hiking AND it's about so much more than just any one of us.

  6. #26
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    Just found this rare footage - it is the Hostel owners initiation ceremony.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4q6eaLn2mY

  7. #27
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    I stayed there in mid April 2013, there were only 2 other NoBo thru hikers there with me that night. Neville was an angel, I arrived late in the day as they were finishing dinner in the house. Grumpy Mike was rude, did not identify himself as having a thing to do with the hostel, I thought he was a maintenance worker, he was loading up his truck outside the house, brushed me off as I walked up to the house asking where to go, acted like he couldn't be bothered. When I went in the house, Neville invited me into the kitchen and offered to bring out the dinner food after they were putting everything away. Could not say enough kind words about her, very helpful and courteous. Grumpy Mike left in his truck, we were told he was heading off to work on some new 'investment' house they had bought as a rental property. Whatever, my impression of him was he didn't want much to do with running a hostel. The dude is not a charming 'grumpy' type like many loveable teddy bears I've met at other hostels along the AT. No. I'm describing the AS*HOLE type grumpy. If he reads this, I hope he gets the idea. The dude is dam lucky to have a girl like Neville. Nuff said.
    We met a young girl NoBo thru hiker a couple nights later at a shelter, who stayed at Woods Hole 3 days before I got there, she said she did work for stay for 3 days, and said Grumpy Mike was a real as*hole. That's all I can say. The food was great. Neville is an angel. Stay there and form your own judgements. I'm not a AAA rating service for hostels, I'm just telling you what I saw there.

  8. #28

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    Several ways to look at things like this...first question you need to ask yourself when you think a product or service is overpriced is "Do I have any other options?" Lack of competition usually means high prices. If you're in a situation where there are no services available, wouldn't you rather at least have the option of a high priced service?

    $14 might sound high for a dinner where you are expected to help set up and clean up afterwards, but I also know how much hikers are capable of eating. When you go to McDonald's they expect you to take your tray the to trash can on your way out. Not every place is a full service restaurant.

    Lots of rules? Probably means there were a lot of idiots that came before you. Every rule you encounter in life is an advertisement for the idiot that did something that made the rule necessary.

    Bottom line is if you don't like the setup, vote with your feet and your wallet.

  9. #29
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    Looks like this thread has been inactive for two years.
    I'm about to do a section with Woods Hole in the middle of it.
    I called today and left a voicemail, asking if they shuttle and that I might stay at their place mid week...and haven't gotten a call back yet.
    .
    Anyone have current input or info about woods hole?
    Should I be trying to find a different shuttler?
    I'm going to be hiking from O'lystery pavilion (mi. 556) and hiking nobo 100 miles. Prefer to park at the north / end of the section and shuttle back to the starting point.

  10. #30
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    I stayed at Woods Hole in 1999 when I terminated my thru-hike attempt and remember the place fondly. Some of us hikers who were staying there did a little yard work in exchange for breakfast the next morning. Miss Tillie and High Pockets, if I remember the old gent's trail name correctly were gracious hosts, and quite energetic for their respective ages. They also graciously gave me a ride to Christiansburg to the Greyhound station so that I could make my way home after ending my hike.

    Spring ahead to 2005 and I returned to Woods Hole to attempt to do some more long miles. I was pleasantly surprised to find Miss Tillie and High Pockets still there and going strong. I think I moved a bunch of rocks to earn my breakfast that time. Does anyone know if Miss Tillie and High Pockets are still with us? They would be quite elderly if they were. It sounds like there has been some changes from all those years ago.
    Long-distance aspirations with short-distance feet.... :jump

  11. #31
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    I just checked their website, and prices seem to be fairly reasonable.

  12. #32
    Registered User QuietStorm's Avatar
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    Stayed there in January. I was the only guest and Neville treated me really well. I would recommend it to anyone.


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  13. #33

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    The pulse I’m getting the past 2 years is when the husband is not around, it’s a completely different vibe. I’m seeing more posts and statements that it’s more required to eat the meals there rather than suggested.

    A simple fix would be to reword the AWOLS guide to put it in line with a working farm where everyone participates. A slice of heaven (in my world at least) does not involve chores

  14. #34
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    They ask for volunteers to help with some of the cooking, serving and cleanup. It's quite light work that might take 10 minutes or so, and there are always several people helping. There's typically a good mix of section and thru hikers so this is just part of the social aspect of staying there.

  15. #35
    Registered User LittleRock's Avatar
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    I stayed at Woods Hole in '15. It's definitely in my top 3 favorite places I've stayed on my section hikes through the Southern AT. Most of the other hostels I've been to are either someone's house or a building in town. Woods Hole was unique because it's restored from an old hunting cabin from the 1800's, it's in the middle of nowhere, and it's a working farm. There were maybe a dozen guests there the night I stayed, and Michael and Neville were both very friendly to everyone.

    I actually enjoyed being part of the meal preparation and cleanup. Maybe it was because I'd only hiked 8 miles from Wapiti that day and was glad for something to do, but I felt like it gave the place a very personal touch. I had a great time listening to Neville talk about all the ingredients from their farm that were being used in our dinner, as well as how most of the other ingredients were locally sourced from nearby farms. I also very much enjoyed the communal meals, especially the part where everyone got a chance to speak about what they were thankful for.

    Michael shuttled me back to Damascus, meaning I spent 2 hours with him in the car. I can see how he'd rub some people the wrong way, but I really enjoyed our conversation. It was clear to me that he's an introvert (I am too), and lots of human interaction makes us grumpy. I asked him a lot of questions about the farm and the hostel, and he really opened up and spent most of the time talking about the hostel, the farm, and all the improvements they were trying to make. He talked at length about how he set up their water to come from a gravity fed spring and how he wanted to install solar panels and wind turbines so they could go completely off-grid.

    My impression was that either running the farm OR running the hostel would be a full-time job for 2 people, they are trying to do both by themselves, and sometimes it's really just too much for them. I hope this will help some folks realize that they're just 2 people trying their best to live their lives and give back to the trail (Michael is a former thru-hiker) and maybe back off some of the negativity.
    It's all good in the woods.

  16. #36
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    I do plan to stay there on my way through. Will report back later.

  17. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by capehiker View Post
    ...
    A simple fix would be to reword the AWOLS guide to put it in line with a working farm where everyone participates. A slice of heaven (in my world at least) does not involve chores
    I totally agree, 'a working farm where everyone participates' is a perfect AWOL line for them and yes as a thru hiker I would chose to stay there, and somewhat even look forward to the experience. A little slice of heaven - hell yes I would stay give that description, but I left very disappointed and disheartened as it was certainly not that.

    It was almost prophetic also that I mentioned to a close friend that I was excited about going to Wood's Hole and that line about the little slice of heaven. She would normally be all over that description but they paid it no more mind then saying I was planing to stay at such and such shelter - I still remember that, when I told here I was going it didn't invoke the reaction that I expected. It was very strange, but it was also very correct.

  18. #38
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    I have to agree with op. $14 for dinner and you have to help cook and clean seems a bit much.

    Yes you throw your trash away at mc Donald's but it didn't cost you $14 for a meal. Aslob you don't have to and they aren't going to say anything. Most people do it because they are polite and fast food workers make minimum wage.

    I'm all for them making a decent profit. I don't even mind helping but if I'm helping I think $14 is too high.

  19. #39

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    Here’s Neville and Michael. She is an amazing hostess.





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  20. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by gracebowen View Post
    I have to agree with op. $14 for dinner and you have to help cook and clean seems a bit much.

    Yes you throw your trash away at mc Donald's but it didn't cost you $14 for a meal. Aslob you don't have to and they aren't going to say anything. Most people do it because they are polite and fast food workers make minimum wage.

    I'm all for them making a decent profit. I don't even mind helping but if I'm helping I think $14 is too high.
    As for McDonalds, I bet more than one thru-hiker as spent this much or more at McDonalds once the hiker hunger sets in.
    As for Woods Hole, I stayed there last Nov. Was the only guest that night, Michael checked me in, Neville was gone and he soon left for the weekend(it was a Fri eve) and left the place in the care of friends--who were very nice and accommodating. Only complaint I had was the mouse that ran across my face in the hostel. LOL Nice place overall. IMO

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